Patrick O’Keeffe began his musical studies in Youghal, learning piano with Margaret O’Leary and playing clarinet and saxophone in St. Mary’s Brass & Reed Band. He received his B.Mus. degree in U.C.C., studied clarinet with Bernard Casey, piano with Una Hunt and saxophone with Kenneth Edge at the Cork School of Music. He received diplomas in piano, clarinet and saxophone and was awarded an M.A in clarinet performance in 1997.

He lectures in clarinet and saxophone at the Cork School of Music and is on the examiner’s panel for the Royal Irish Academy of Music. He is a member of the Cork Pops Orchestra and regularly performs in chamber groups with other members of staff from the School of Music. His students regularly perform with the National Youth Orchestra, Irish Youth Wind Ensemble, and Cork Youth Orchestra.